'No strategy' behind Afghan attacks

Nato-led forces in Afghanistan say they are sharply reducing the number of joint operations with the Afghan army, in response to the big rise in attacks on Nato troops by their Afghan colleagues. Two British soldiers were killed in such attacks this week.

A Nato spokesman said that in future such joint working would normally only be at battalion level, is in large operations involving several hundred troops.

Colonel Tim Collins, a former commanding officer in the Royal Irish Regiment, told the Today programme that he does not believe the Taliban have any strategy, and said they were "taking advantage of disgruntled Afghans who have been recruited in large numbers and many of them far too quickly".

More than 50 Nato troops have been killed by Afghan soldiers and police this year, 15 of them in August alone.